<div>Hi all,</div> <div> </div> <div>I think internet has provided that freedom of expression that face to face communication cannot ( fear of punishment, shyness, english etc...). How many of us have met face to face? </div> <div> </div> <div>agree with Carlos on geographical focus - global south is the better option..</div> <div> </div> <div>regarding members, i think we need to advertise more as i think we don't have many policymakers and students... </div> <div> </div> <div>from my personal view, students are the key and i guess they don't know about sustran. Majority of universities are still focusing on 'traditional' concepts and '"solutions".. and it would be great if we can bring them in...</div> <div> </div> <div>cheers</div> <div>Sudhir<br><br></div> <div class="gmail_quote">2009/6/7 Brendan Finn <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:etts@indigo.ie">etts@indigo.ie</a>></span><br> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"> <div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Zvi, Jonathon, </font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">I agree with the points you both make, although these are applicable more in the Asian culture and rather less in the American culture. </font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">In addition, I would suggest another aspect - employer and client confidentiality. Those in the best position to highlight new issues and to explain decision-taking, apparent paradoxes, or to illustrate points by specific examples can often only do so by sharing information that is not in the public domain. In many cases this would mean breaking confidences of our organisation, employer, client or network. Perhaps this is just another aspect of fear of punishment or fear of loss of face. However, I think for many it is just contrary to our training, where we temper opportunities to make ourselves look knowledgeable (at least in our own eyes!) against what we consider to be our responsibilities. </font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">It is ironic that on matters about which we know least we can be free, contentious and indulge in hyperbole; whereas on the matters we know most we are cautious, inhibited and often silent. </font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">That said, I agree with Paul and others that the Sustran community should be more participative, and that we would all get more out of it by contribution, dialogue and respectful debate than when we are just silent readers. </font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">With best wishes, </font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Brendan.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br></font></div></div></blockquote></div>-- <br>Sudhir Gota<br>Transport Specialist<br> CAI-Asia Center<br>Unit 3510, 35th Floor, Robinsons-Equitable Tower,<br>ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City<br>Metro Manila, Philippines 1605<br>Tel: +63-2-395-2843<br>Fax: +63-2-395-2846<br><a href="http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia">http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia</a><br> Skype : sudhirgota<br>